So – Gay News arrives at issue seven, not very bloody and definitely unbowed! We’ve achieved an experimental sixteen-page issue, number six, our subscription list is growing everyday, and we are all getting to know each other. In running the day-to-day business of the paper, the collective are obviously together (for better or worse!) but the contact with everyone who writes to us, telephones, calls in at the office, or buys a copy in the pub, is the really vital thing.

We collect plenty of reactions, from “I think you’re the best thing that’s happened on the gay scene for years!” to “I wouldn’t meet you”
wipe my arse with it.” Many people comment favourably on the lay-out and technical presentation of the paper. It is important to be clear and readable, and we want to maintain and improve these qualities, without we hope, becoming dull. Others of you find that we are too political for your taste, or not political enough. We’ve been advised to “Show where you are ideologically, or you will just be a capitalist ally”, but a lot of other people ask for “some dolly pin-ups, and why don’t you have some fantasy fiction?” What a lovely name for ‘wank-stories’.

One subject that arouses a lot of comment is our personal ads column (see ‘Preference or Prejudice’ below). Are we “Asking to be busted”, or “providing a service that people need”? Perhaps both, but the ads do fulfill a need for a lot of individuals, and it is on this level that the subject should be considered. Whether you have been a subscriber since issue one, or think “Gay News does a disservice to all homosexuals by singling us out as Different” you know what it’s like to be lonely, alone temporarily perhaps or isolated over a long period of time. One knows how one feels, and perhaps can sympathise with someone else in a similar situation, but you cannot solve the problem for another individual, and no-one else can find all the answers for you.

We hope that Gay News is aware of the range of individual view-points, and that we give scope for all opinions in our columns. It doesn’t matter whether you are content with a small social circle, happy cruising alone, busy in a CHE or GLF group, or right out there challenging the whole world. If you know where you are, as an individual person, relating to others, and being as honest as you know how to be, then perhaps you’re on the way to becoming a free soul, free of your own self-repression, and so more able to help clear away ignorance and suppressed fear which block society’s view of homosexuals.

Preference or Prejudice

We’ve had a lot of comment about our policy on personal ads, and some people think that we are discriminatory, although we print a warning about possible racist ads. The “Young black gay? Then white wants to meet you” ad has been criticised as being just as prejudiced as one which says “No Coloureds Please” or some similar phrase. We printed the former, we refused the latter.

We feel that the “Young, black gay” ad indicates a preference, just as someone does if they say “I want to meet a rock music freak” or “well-built, bearded men”, which is not the same thing as excluding one specific group. If every ad had to avoid all statements which indicated preference, ads would be both unreadable and pointless.

Some people feel hurt by ads which say “no effeminates” and we have also been accused of age-ism, because readers feel excluded by phrases like ‘young and dolly preferred’. All we can say is that if someone advertises with us, it’s pointless unless they say what kind of person they want to meet, it’s pie in the sky to imagine that everyone can get on with everyone else, and if some of us aren’t young and dolly’ too bad – there’s a lot of things that improve with age!

A Reminder

We are sure that most of you have now realised that Gay News is a completelyindependentnewspaper. But unfortunately some of you are still under the impression that we are connected with one or more of the gay organisations that are operative in this country. We are not.

Gay News is anindependent, unaffiliatednewspaper for gays of all sexes. We are in no way involved with Gay Liberation Front, Campaign for Homosexual Equality, Scottish Minorities Group, National Federation of Homophile Organisations, or any of the other movements, organisations or associations.

We are, of course, sympathetic to some of the views of these ‘campaigns’ and ‘fronts’ etc., but their doctrines and ideals in no way influence the editorial policy of this paper.

We will print news and run features on what these organisations are up to. But these will take their place alongside what other gay people are doing and are involved in.

Gay News, once again, is anindependentnewspaper for all gays, and we would consider ourselves a failure if we ever departed from this position.

This is to let you know that the University of Bristol Gay Liberation Front Society will be continuing its operations from October on. We are arranging films, talks, meetings, dances and exhibitions for the autumn term. Those wishing to contact us should write to us by name at the above address.

Trevor Locke, Chairman

Stonehill Road,Derby.

Dear Readers,

I would like to congratulate the team who have produced Gay News. They realise they are taking rather a risk, I only hope their labour will not have been in vain.

For those who are reading their first issue of Gay News, I would suggest they take out a subscription.

Being a subscriber myself, I feel we would be getting our money’s worth. In conclusion I would like to say to the team of Gay News: “Carry On Regardless”

I thought the programme put over our case fairly well; the only point I have to make is that the female homosexual was not very well represented. Why was Jackie Forster not on the panel to give their point of view, instead of being just an ordinary radio listener who only was given THREE minutes on the air as a questioner, and the answer to her question was only 22 seconds air time.

I feel that any further programme (if any) should include Mrs Forster to give a balanced point of view, as the females on the programme were not very vocal tonight.

Brian Webb

Mature Wine

Manchester, M20 8NS

Dear All.

Poor James Stevens (letter GN 6). I am sure he is every bit as gorgeous as he protests (sic). But perhaps he is beginning to look haggard chasing all those chicks, or is it that they don’t see his charms in quite the same light. But those kinks, they must be interesting from someone who is so sure he has them!

Poor, poor James; as I fast approach middle age, I know how he feels. Perhaps he should try a slightly more mature wine – me, for instance! What a pity, I have just noticed his PS. to his letter, ”I love Grinspoon” — so that’s me out, am too late again.

Derek Jones

Kick up the arse!

Folkestone, KentKent.

Dear Gay News,

Thank you for issue no. 5. I am sorry to read that the financial state of Gay News is so critical (re editorial). I am enclosing £5, I hope you can find a use for it — I wish I could afford more.

I am convinced that your paper is a very necessary part of the Gay scene, and the important role that it plays and the good which it does overall, is immeasurable.

If the Gay World allows Gay News to sink – I count myself as one of them – they will need a very hard, very severe kick up the arse. My apologies for being vulgar — I feel very strongly about this. Gay News is our link, our voice to the rest of humanity. About who we are, what we think, how we react and what we can contribute to the Peace and Stability of the world.

I do not wish to write a sermon, but there are many things which could be said (or written) and perhaps ought to be. There are, however, many souls far more eloquent than I, who can make a much better job of it, so perhaps I had better leave it to them.

In the meantime, how about it, all you gays, dig deep down and fork out a few bob – this paper needs it. If it goes under, it will be our own bloody fault, so there will be no use in moaning about it.

Why bookshops refuse to sell it beats me, when one sees some of the mags they dish out. Anyway, keep it up, it looks good. I hope things improve for you very soon, and I wish you every success.

Lots of love and best regards,

Jimmy Thatcher

Hypocrisy

West Kensington.

Dear GN,

How about dropping the only bit of hypocrisy that I can find in your otherwise super paper? I mean that silly bit about taking no ads with any form of racial prejudice … are you scared of the Race Relations Board, at a time when you’re obviously not scared of anyone else? Since your ads are mostly blatantly discriminatory — ‘no effeminates’, ‘early mid-twenties’, ‘slim, non-kinky’, “attractive literate preferred’, etc.— what would be wrong with a stated deisre for a ‘hairy homo Hindu’ or sorqe^uch?

Love and peace.

Fair (greying)., Fat and Forty (+)

ED. We are neither scared or beholden to the Race Relations Board. Racial prejudice of the type we refuse to print, and hopefully discourage through our paragraph at the end of the personal ads, is something that is odious and uncivilised, and we believe it to be very different matter to the forms of preference/discrimination found in that column.

We realise that this may be a point of controversy amongst our readers and we welcome any further correspondence on the matter. Particularly, we would welcome comment from our black brothers and sisters.

Sexist Ads

Redcliffe Gdns. London SW10

Dear Gay News,

I was somewhat puzzled to see in your no. 4 issue that after several articles denouncing sexism, there was a whole page of extremely sexist personal ads in the back.

It seems a shame to spoil an otherwise promising paper with ads asking for ‘trendy butch dolly males’.

Yours sincerely.

Andrew Wilson.
(London GLF – without any chip on my shoulder!)

ED. We do not write or censor personal ads. except where absolutely necessary. The Gay News collective prefers to return unacceptable ads, which we cannot print, either because of the encouragement it would give the Director of Public Prosecutions to immediately pounce on us, or because we suspect that the ad is a front for prostitution. The latter reason we have discussed amongst ourselves on numerous occasions, and, because we can never come to an agreement on whether this is a totally inexcusable practice or not, we decline, for now, to accept such ads in our columns.

Is it right or wrong for us to do so? As we have not set ourselves up as moral judges, perhaps readers would let us have their views on this subject.

Also, if Andrew would care to enlighten us, and you, in greater depth on his argument against certain ads. we would only be too willing to publish anything else he may wish to say.

No ‘Bashings’ at Biograph

London

Dear Gay News,

I felt somewhat angered by the letter of BN sent to CHE (of which I too am a member of group 7).

It seemed so infantile and thoughtless in condemnation of our paper. Does he really think any cottage is ‘safe’, and it is a good thing you point out the ones you know are under surveillance. The criticism of the Samaritans I thought constructive, this kind is beneficial, and I have yet to hear of any bashings up involving ‘gays’ at the Biograph. Surely we have enough of a struggle from the present society without our own kind being so bitchy. A lot of us owe very much to a certain section of people who are working very hard in the face of strong opposition to better the lot of us kind, and this includes Gay News, and I look forward to every new edition. Let’s have criticism by all means, but let it be constructive, and let’s all back each other all we can, the old adage unity is strength’ is as true for us as in anything else, so let’s all be united, which we must if we are going to be powerful enough to get things moving.

In another letter, same edition, David Brown refers to a recent letter in issue 3 from Malta as being offensive, and refers to them as the Maltese Meat Market, he is entitled to his opinion of course. But as one who took up this chance of writing to them, I should like in all fairness to point out that I found these lads to be most friendly and hospitable, sincere and willing to please a truly great circle of friends. Nothing like it exists in this country as far as I know, and I would be interested to hear from anyone who would like to form such a group solely for the Pleasure and Enjoyment that meeting new friends can bring. To you all at Gay News I would say carry on the good work; most of us appreciate your efforts, and hope you will meet with success.

B. M.

Telegraph Bigotry

Streatham, London, SW16

Dear Sir,

What bigotry is displayed by the Leader Writer of the Sunday Telegraph in their issue of 25th June, 1972 (Gay News issue No. 5 Page 5).

It has occurred to me that if all gays who take both the Sunday Telegraph and the Daily Telegraph refrained from doing so from now on, the loss of trade (sorry) to that concern would be felt.

My estimation is that at least a million gays take these papers so why not let’s boycott them and see what we can do.

Of course, we would never know the result of our actions but it would be worth a try to educate the bigot who wrote the Leader and then took the unprecedented step of refusing to publish replies giving the other sides’ version of homosexuality but replied individually to the letters sent.

I have cancelled my order – what about you?

“T.E.S.”

Stifle self-pity

London SW7

Dear Gay News,

I suspect the key to the disillusionment of your anonymous correspondent who was ‘tired of being gay‘ is at the end of his letter: ‘…and now another – my ex-affair…’ However restricted the circles he moves in, it cannot really be true that all the gays he knows ‘wear smooth, trendy clothes and expensive immaculate hairstyles’ (that is, unless he’s been very selective), because even in the Boltons and the Colherne many of the customers would certainly not fit that description, and in the provincial pubs some of the clientele could only be described as dowdy. Many of the people who’ve used small ads over the years aren’t into the club and pub scene at all, and finally (though only recently I agree) there are the gay organisations, like CHE and GLF.

My advice to ‘anonymous’ would be, stifle the self-pity, and if you don’t like the gays you know now, try some others.

Peter Norman

Where to get it

Mount Pleasant,
St. Albans, Herts.

Dear Sir,

I should like to point out to any of your readers that may live in or around St Albans that Gay News is stocked by the Index Book Shop, near St Peter’s Church, St Peter’s Street, St Albans. I know that the young woman who runs it has just begun this shop and I am sure that she would appreciate all orders however small they may be. It would be a pity if through lack of demand she should cease to stock Gay News. I might add that I am in no ways interested in Index, nor have I any gain to be made through recommending this shop.

I should also like to say how much I enjoy reading Gay News, and whilst I cannot agree with all the views in it, I do believe that it is by far the best Homosexual paper to have been published to date. May I wish you the best of luck.

Yours sincerely,

David Richardson.

Would Neville Gadd kindly get in touch with us at Gay News. We have lost your address. In other words we have out securitised ourselves. Sorry to bother you, Neville.